crimea: the war before the war

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Ukraine war latest: Russia used 'updated tactics' during latest mass missile, drone strike, Zelensky says
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Ukraine war latest: Russia used 'updated tactics' during latest mass missile, drone strike, Zelensky says

This is Chris York reporting from Kyiv on day 1,427 of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Today's top story: Russia used "updated tactics" during its latest overnight aerial assault on Ukraine's energy infrastructure on Jan. 20, President Volodymyr Zelensky has said, adding Kyiv would be informing allies including the U.S. about the development. The overnight strike targeted substations serving nuclear power plants, and triggered widespread outages of electricity, water, and heating, in
What English translations miss about Bulgakov — and why it matters in Ukraine
Culture

What English translations miss about Bulgakov — and why it matters in Ukraine

Twentieth-century author Mikhail Bulgakov is celebrated worldwide for his satirical genius and his defiance of Soviet power, most famously through works like "The Master and Margarita" and "White Guard." In Ukraine, his legacy is far more complicated. Rather than being remembered solely as a critic of totalitarianism, Bulgakov is seen by many as a symbol of Russian imperial culture for his hostility toward Ukrainian cultural identity. Born in Kyiv in 1891, Bulgakov grew up speaking Russian an
Europe loads 'trade bazooka,' ready measures against Trump's Greenland tariff threats
Europe

Europe loads 'trade bazooka,' ready measures against Trump's Greenland tariff threats

The European Union is preparing a response to U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to impose tariffs on NATO allies over Greenland, with leaders set to discuss retaliation options at a summit on Jan. 22, two people familiar with the matter told the Kyiv Independent. The dispute escalated after Trump renewed calls for the United States to acquire Greenland — an autonomous Danish territory — warning that Washington would do so "one way or another" and refusing to rule out military force. Trump s
Trump unleashes chaotic late-night tirade against Europe, vows to take Greenland
Europe

Trump unleashes chaotic late-night tirade against Europe, vows to take Greenland

Editor’s Note: The Kyiv Independent has made an editorial decision not to edit messages from U.S. President Donald Trump for grammar or clarity. When European officials woke up on Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump hadn't gone to bed yet. He was busy attacking European leaders through his social media platform Truth Social. “Shockingly, our ‘brilliant’ NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital U.S. Military Base, to Maur
Facing Russia and global shifts, Moldova’s Sandu opens door to reunification with Romania
Europe

Facing Russia and global shifts, Moldova’s Sandu opens door to reunification with Romania

It is not often a president says they would support the dissolution of the state they are leading. In a recent interview, Moldovan President Maia Sandu did just that, saying she would vote for the country’s reunification with Romania if such a referendum were to take place. “It is getting more and more difficult for a small country like Moldova to survive as a democracy, as a sovereign country, and of course to resist Russia,” Sandu said. She added, however, that the majority of Moldovans sup
Ukraine war latest: 'Gruelling confrontation' continues in Pokrovsk direction, Syrskyi says
 (Updated:  

Ukraine war latest: 'Gruelling confrontation' continues in Pokrovsk direction, Syrskyi says

This is Yuliia Taradiuk reporting from Kyiv on day 1,429 of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Today's top story: Active battles continue in the Pokrovsk direction, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Jan. 19, adding the operational situation remains difficult with a "gruelling confrontation" taking place. According to Syrskyi, around 50 combat clashes are taking place in the area every day as Russian troops try to increase pressure on Ukrainian positions in Pokrovsk and Myrnoh
Ukraine needs billions in US arms as Greenland dispute pushes alliance to breaking point, documents reveal

Ukraine needs billions in US arms as Greenland dispute pushes alliance to breaking point, documents reveal

Ukraine needs at least $27 billion in military equipment from non-European Union sources in 2026, highlighting the bloc's dependence on American technology to support Kyiv, negotiating documents show. The EU is set to spend 60 billion euros ($70 billion) on Ukraine's defense as part of a larger 90-billion-euro support package agreed in December, an unprecedented sum that European leaders hope will reboot its military industrial base and support the Ukrainian military’s continued operation durin